Dough-divider.



3. o 9 1 71 2 N. A J D E T N E T A P.

N. E T U O H N A V Hm n... 0. 8 2 91 l 7 m N DOUGH DIVIDER.

APPLIOATION FILED un 21, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.4

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED JAN. 27.1903.

F. H. VAN HOUTEN.

DOUGH DIVIDBR. APPLIOATION H'Lnn un 21, 1902.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

FRANK I-IENRY VAN HOUTEN, OF FISHKILLON-THE-HUDSON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO DUTCHESS TOOL COMPANY, OF FISIIKILL-ON-TIIE-HUDSON, NEV YORK, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DOUGH-DIVIDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,280, dated January27, 1903.

Application filed May 21, 1902. lSerial No. 108,375. (N0 mOdlJ To allwiz/0m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK HENRY VAN HOUTEN, of Fishkill-on-the-Hudson,in the county of Dutchess, State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvemen-ts in Dough-Dividers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and to the tigures of reference4 marked thereon.

This invention relates to machines employed for automatically dividingpredetermined quantities of plastic material, as dough, from a largemass and for forming and compressing the same to the desiredconsistency.

The object of the invention is to increase the general eflciency ofmachines of this type, and particularly to provide simple and efcientmeans for regulating the areas of the molds and facilitating thedischarge of the same, for regulating the feed of the plastic materialinto the molds to avoid Wasting the same, and to provide a vent for anyexcess of feed to avoid choking the machine.

With these objects in view, and such others as will readily suggestthemselves as the nature of the invention is understood, the sameincludes a pair of mold-chambers provided with means for effecting thedischarge from one while the companion mold is being iilled.

It further includes means associated with a constantly-operating feeddevice to prevent the materials fed thereby passing out of thedischarge-mouth with which the molds register when the latter are out ofalinement with the same.

It further includes a vent or by-pass leading from the front end of thefeeding device to the rear thereof to permit of the return to thefeed-chamber of any excess of material which may be fed by said feedingdevice; and it further includes the details of construction as will behereinafter described, and particularly pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate one embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of a completemachine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail viewof the means for giving the mold-carrier an intermittent feed.

In the accompanying drawings the feedhopper is indicated by the numeral1, discharging into a feeding-chamber 2, in which a feed-screw 3 islocated, said feed-chamber having front and rear tubular extensions 2L2b. The front end of the screw 3 terminates Hush with the end of theextension 2, While the rear end of said screw is secured to a shaft 3,journaled in the extension 2b and provided with a drive-gear Il, in meshwith a transmitting-gear 5, to which rotation is imparted by a pinion 6,secured to the main drive-shaft 7.

The extensions 2u 21 of the chamber 2 are slidably mounted in collars 89, bolted to the main supporting-frame 10, the collar 8 also providing atemporary receiving-chamber and guide for the material fed by the screw3, as will be hereinafter described.

In the present embodiment of the invention a single pair of molds orformers are provided, each comprising a cylindrical barrel secured to orintegral with a carrier ll, journaled in an arm 12, extending from theframe 10 and fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft 13, journaled inan arm 14 of the frame, to which an intermittent rotary movement isimparted by mechanism to be described. The molds or barrels 15 arearranged in alinement with each other and are provided with bottoms orends which are adjustable to vary the maximum depths ofthe molds andshiftable to provide for the discharge of the formed material. Thesebottoms comprise pistons 17 18, fitted to the-bores of the barrels 15and connected to move in unison by means which permit of theirsimultaneous adjustment. In the present instance the means is shown as acompound adjusting-screw lll-that is, a screw having its ends providedwith oppositely-running threads engaging corresponding threaded openingsin the adjacent pistons-and a milled disk 21, keyed thereto centrally ofthe same. By turning said screw the pistons can be adjusted relativelyto each other, While the screw also provides a rigid coupling betweenthe same. Each piston is provided with an annular shoulder 20 at itsinner end to provide a limiting-stop to prevent the frontend of IOO thesame passing beyond the end of the moldchamber with which it isassociated. It will be understood that the mold-chamber in each barrelis formed between the inner periphery of the same and the face of thepiston associated therewith, and consequently the areas of the chamberscan be regulated by adjusting the pistons through the medium of thescrew 19. When the rear ends of the pistons are in such positions thatthey abut against the hub of the disk 21, as shown in Fig. 1, saidpistons are retracted the maximum extent, and mold-chambers ot' maximumareas are presented. In theintermittent rotation ofthe carrier 1l theends of the barrels 15 are brought successively into register with thefront end or discharge-mouth of the collar 8 for determinate periods.During these periods the plastic material, which is continually fedforward by the screw 3, (the latter having a constant rotary movementduring the operation of the machine,) is pushed into the mold-chamber inregister with said discharge-mouth by the front end of extension 2a andthe end of the screw 3, which act together as a plunger, thefeed-chamber being reciprocated for this purpose. The reciprocation ofthis chamber is secured by means of a cam 22, secured to the shaft 13,over which a strap 23 is fitted, connected by links 24C to a cross-bar25, bolted to a bracket 26, depending centrally from the bottom of thechamber 2. The movements of the parts are so timed that the chamber 2 isforced forward while one of the mold chambers is in alinement therewith,and the material which is in advance of the screw is pushed into thesaid chamber, against the movable piston therein. At this time thepiston in the chamber being filled is near the mouth of the same, andconsequently as the material is fed therein said piston is pushed backuntil the shoulder of the companion piston abuts against the edge of thecompanion mold. As will be understood,the latter piston is forced intothe moldchamber with which it is associated during the period thefirst-mentioned piston is being forced back and will act to dischargethe contents of the mold out of alinement with the collar 8. Each moldremains in register with the mouth of the collar 8 a sufficient periodto be filled, and then the shaft 13 is given a one-half revolution,which carries the filled mold to a position diametrically opposite tothe mouth of the collar 8 and the empty mold into register therewith.The advance of the extension 2ad and screw 3 in pressing the materialwhich has been fed forward by said screw into the mold-chamber forces,as before described, the piston located therein backward, and throughthe rigid coupling 19 the companion piston is forced forwardly in themold-chamber with which it is associated, and thus discharges the formedmaterial therein from the same. As the mold-carrier is rotating to moveone mold out of register with the collar 8 and the companion mold of theextension 2LL during the period the A molds are out of alinement withthe collar 8, and consequently not in position to receive said material,enters the bore of said collar and is held therein until the chamber 2comes forward on its forward stroke, when said material is forced intothe mold-chamber, as before described, which has by this time come intoregister with the mouth of the collar.

To prevent the machine choking through the accumulation of an excess ofmaterial in advance of the extension 2, a vent or bypass is provided toreturn any excess of feed to the rear of the screw. As shown in thepresent drawings, this vent is vprovided by an axial bore extendingthrough the screw 3 and leading into the rear of the chamber 2 through aradial opening 27 inthe shaft 3f.

To drive the shaft 13, which has an intermittent rotation, a beveledgear 28 is journaled thereon, which may be formed integral with the cam22 and which is driven continuously by Aa beveled pinion 29, fixed orkeyed to one end of a shaft 30, to the opposite end of which the gear 5is secured. A disk 31 is secured to the shaft 13 and is provided withtwo diametrically-arranged` fixed stops 31a, with which adog 32, pivotedto the under face of the gear 28, is designed to interlock. To controlthe position of the dog 32, a disk 33 is provided, mounted upon the hubof the disk 31 and held against rotation bya pin 34:, extending throughthe arm 14 and engaging the same. The disk 33 is provided with avertical wall 35, extending around one-half of the inner circumferenceof a fiange formed thereon, and this Wall coacts with the periphery ofthe disk 31 to provide a guiding-channel in which the dog 32 travels inthe rotation of gear 28. When the dog enters said channel, it is throwninto the path of the fixed stops, and in the rotation of the gear 28 itengages one of said stops and couples the gear and disk 31 together, sothat they will rotate in unison until the dog 32 passes entirely throughthe guiding-channel or past the end of the Wall 35, when said dog willrotate upon its pivot and free itself from thestop with which it is inengagement. The gear 28 will then rotate independently of the disk 3luntil the dog carried by the former again enters said channel. The stopsare so placed relatively to the channel that a one-half revolution willbe imparted to theV shaft 13 for each complete revolution of the gear28. During the period the shaft is at rest one of the molds is beingfilled, while the companion mold is discharging. Y

By forming the gear 28 and cam 22 integral the latter is given aconstant movement, and through the connections before described thechamber 2 is given a continuous reciprocating movement during theoperation of the machine.

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I claiml. In a machine of the class described7 the combination with areciprocating feed-chamber and a mold adapted to be carried into and outof alinement therewith, of a temporary receiving-chamber interposedbetween the feed-chamber and mold and means for varying the capacity ofthe receiving-chamber, whereby the material is stored when the mold isout of register, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocating feeding device,means for guiding said device and forming a temporary receiving-chamber,a mold adapted to be carried into alinement therewith when the feedingdevice is advancing and ont of alineinent therewith when the feedingdevice is receding and means for maintaining a constant supply to thereceiving-chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocating feeding device,comprising a feeding-chamber having tubular extensions, a feed-screw,collars forming guides for said extensions, and a mold adapted to becarried into and ont of register with one of said collars, substantiallyas described.

4. In a machine of the class described, and in combination, afeed-chamber, a screw journaled therein, with means for giving the samea constant rotary movement, a moid with means for carrying the same intoand ont of filling position, a temporary receiving-chamber, and meansfor reciprocating said feeding-chamber, whereby the latter will forcethe material from said temporary receiver into the mold, substantiallyas described.

5. In a machine of the class described, and

in combination, a feed-chamber, a feed-screw journaled therein, withmeans for giving the same a constant rotary movement, a moldcarrier, apair of molds associated therewith, a shaft carrying the same, means forgiving the latter an intermittent rotary movement, a cam journaled onsaid shaft, means for giving the latter a constant rotary movement, andmeans interposed between the same and the feed-chamber for imparting aconstant reciprocatory motion to the latter, substantially as described.

(i. In combination in a machine of the class described, a feed-chamber,a feed-screw journaled therein and means for giving the same a constantrotary movement, a mold-carrier, a pair of molds associated therewith, ashaft carrying the saine, means for giving the latter an intermittentrotary movement, including a beveled gear, a cam, journaled on saidshaft driven from said gear, a strap engaging the cam, and linkconnections between said strap and the feeding-chamber, substantially asdescribed.

7. In combination in a machine of the class described, afeedingchainber, a feed-screw journaled therein and means for giving thesame a constant rotary movement, a moldcarrier, a pair of moldsassociated therewith, a shaft carrying the same, and means for givingthe latter an intermittent movement, including a beveled gear, a diskfixed to the shaft, stops projecting from said disk, a dog carried bythe gear, designed to coact with said stops, and a controller for saiddog, substantially as described.

8. In a dough-dividing machine, the combination with a movablemeasuring-head having a measuring-chamber therein and areceiving-chamber from which the dough is delivered to themeasuring-chamber, of a constantly-acting feeder delivering dough tosaid receiving-chamber and a reciprocatory feeder for discharging thedough from the receivingchamber when the measuring-chamber is inposition to be Iilled and for increasing the capacity of saidreceiving-chamber when dough is not being discharged therefrom;substantially as described.

9. Inadough-divider, the combination with a supply-hopper and anadjustable measuringchamber into which the dough is fed from the hopper,of a reciprocatory feeder for feeding the dough to the measuring-chamberand a relatively long by-pass passage leading from a point in front ofthe feeder back to the supply-hopper whereby the feeder may have adefinite movement and the dough be cornpressed uniformly regardless ofthe adjusted capacity of the measuring-chamber; substantially asdescribed.

10. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a mainsupporting-frame, guiding devices secured thereto, a feeding-chambersupported in said devices, a constantlydriven feed-screw journaled insaid cha1nber,a vertically-arran ged shaft, a mold-carrier surmountingthe same, a pair of molds associated with said carrier, includingalining barrels, a piston associated with each barrel, a compound screwcoupling said pistons together, a beveled gear journaled on said shaft,a cam also journaled on said shaft and driven from said gear, meansinterposed between said cam and feed-chamber for reciprocating thelatter, a pinion meshing with said beveled gear, a shaft journaled inthe main frame carrying said pinion,a transmitting-gear secured thereto,means for driving the same from the main drive-shaft of the machine,gearing interposed between the same and the feed-screw, a disk fixed tothe vertical shaft, a pair of fixed stops projecting from said disk, adog pivoted to said beveled gear, designed to coact with said stops, anda controller for said dog, comprising a stationary disk having a wallcoacting with the periphery of the first disk to provide a guide-channelfor said dog, substantially as described.

FRANK lIIlNltY VAN HOUTEN.

Witnesses:

ALICE M. KEANE, DAVID J HANNA.

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